Dragonsong
by ObsessiveCompulsiveValkyrie
Summary: In a final battle against the Demon Dragon, all hope was vested on the power of eight legendary weapons. When that power is not enough, a new war erupts and leaves the world trembling as a battle beyond that of the Scouring ravages the lands of Elibe. Roy/Lilina. Alternate ending of Sword of Seals. Pairing list inside.
1. The Eve of Nothing

Hello, and welcome to _Dragonsong_! This fic is pretty much an alternate ending of FE6. Hopefully, it should make sense on how alternate it is and what makes it alternate. I have no idea where this idea came from, but I have some pretty high hopes for it. I'm currently estimating twenty or thirty chapters right now, but I don't have an outline at all. This is just a guess based on what I want to cover :)

Oh, and I feel I should make a note on which pairings you should expect to see. Obviously, Roy/Lilina will be the main one. Others that will appear or be mentioned include Rutger/Clarine, Klein/Tate, Gale/Miledy, Noah/Fir, Percival/Cecilia, Shin/Sue. I'm not sure of others just yet. As for returning FE7 pairs that might be mentioned or make an appearance are Hector/Lyn, Eliwood/Ninian, and Pent/Louise (of course!). If I think of others, I'll add them later. These are the ones you can expect to see, though :)

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Fire Emblem or any of its characters. I think that should be self explanatory since I'm on a fanfiction site, but I'll roll with it XP Cover art is not mine, either. I found it amidst random Tumblr searches and all credit goes to the original artist. Edits and title added by me. If you know the artist, please let me know and I'll give them credit where it's due :)

Without further ado, please enjoy the prologue/first chapter of _Dragonsong_!

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**Dragonsong  
_Chapter I - _**_**The Eve of Nothing**_

A terrifying cry echoed against Lilina's ears, forcing her to cringe and clutch the legendary tome to her chest. They had battled with dragons, yes, but nothing was more frightening than the sound of the Demon Dragon's roar. It sent chills down her spine as she stood towards the back of the Dragon Temple with the rest of the Alliance Army mages, her eyes flickering through the room as War Dragons emerged from corridors on the side.

At the front of their forces, Roy charged confidently towards the Demon Dragon. He was the only one who could defeat it. It was up to everyone else to fight off the War Dragons and protect him while he fought. Only eight weapons of legend were present, but they had to be enough. Eckesachs was unusable by any member of their army and seemed to be blessed to the royal family of Bern alone.

That fire dragon who had waited outside, Yahn, still battled with many of their troops. Mighty as he was, he could not stop thousands of humans alone.

Lilina knew that the dragons had lived in this world in the days of yore and, though she loved her home, she couldn't help but wonder if all this bloodshed was worth it to them. And in her hands, she carried the glistening crimson tome with the ancient powers of Lord Athos's Forblaze. The power of one of the Eight Generals remained in her hands, entrusted to her by Roy, the new bearer of the Sword of Seals.

She extended her hand, summoning the power sealed within the pages of the tome. The book floated over her hand as the pages turned in rapid succession, sparks flying from the parchment as the magic churned. Ancient flames boiled through her veins as she extended her free hand and expelled the fires of hell onto an approaching War Dragon.

There were so many of them… How could they possibly win?

To the left, Sue charged into battle with Murgleis, Shin and Dayan circling around her to protect her. Durandal was wielded by the swordsman Rutger, who seemed to have taken the role as Lady Clarine's bodyguard of sorts. He always seemed to be at her side in a battle, now more than ever. Lord Klein and Dieck were near them, too. Maltet and Armads were in the hands of the wyvern riding siblings, Miledy and Zeiss, respectively.

Aureola, the tome of light, remained in the hands of the Mage General of Etruria, Cecilia. Apocalypse was carried by Sophia, seeress of Nabata. The two women stood beside her as they launched spell after spell into the fray, taking down the dragons as quickly as they could.

Even with the might of the eight generals at their disposal, Lilina was certain this would be a losing battle. She didn't have to be a tactical prodigy like Roy to know that. The dragons were coming faster than they could defeat them and their own army was becoming exhausted quickly. Their only hope was that Roy could defeat the Demon Dragon and quickly.

Suddenly, an arm circled her waist and pulled her off her feet, causing her to struggle by instinct as she turned to see who grabbed her. The green eyes and Pheraen armor that met her took her by surprise as she burst out, "Sir Lance?!"

He kept a sorrowful frown on his face as he pulled her onto his horse and pulled the reigns to guide it out of the temple. "Forgive me, Lady Lilina. Lord Roy has given me explicit orders to ensure you're seen to safety in the event of a loss here today."

She released a squeal as the horse reared up and started to bolt down the corridor. "Wait, what?! Loss?!"

He kept his eyes forward, a grim expression on his face. "I'm afraid so, My Lady."

She clutched the Forblaze tome in one arm and pounded the other in a fist against the knight's chest. "Sir Lance! Take me back! I will not live while everyone else-!"

He shook his head as he continued forward. "I'm afraid I cannot do that, My Lady."

"No!" she cried, continuing to beat her fist against him. "I will not! As the Marchioness of Ostia, I order you to-!"

"Forgive me. I cannot defy the orders of my Lord."

"But-! But what about-!"

What about Roy?

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So, this was just a prologue sort of thing. When we come back, we'll see more of the aftermath of the Demon Dragon's victory that day XD

And as I'm sure you've noticed, I broke the rules by giving Zeiss Armads and Cecilia Aureola. To be honest, I can't say I really like any of the axe users in FE6 except Geese, and he was too nobody with no real plot surrounding him ^^; As for Aureola, Yodel, Elen, and Saul are the only three who could _possibly_ wield it, and asking one of the latter two to do so is a lot. I can't say I'm particularly fond of them (Yodel and Elen both died in my first game), so I gave it to Cecilia ^^ Besides, Valkyries use light in FE8, right? Riiight…?

So, yeah. Just wanted to explain that I'm not an idiot XD There's a reason for my madness.

I'll try to have the next chapter posted soon, but I am a full-time college student. I'll have it posted as soon as possible! Thanks for reading and follow for updates!

Please review!

-Valk

P.S. Chapters will be longer than this. Promise.


	2. Panacea

Welcome to chapter two! Many apologies for taking so long! I'm afraid I had a bit of a case of writer's block for a while back there. Hopefully it'll be a one-time thing. Cross your fingers!

My thanks go out to **Rapis-Razuri, Glaceon Mage, **and **Gunlord500** for taking the time to read and leave a review!

This chapter was beta-read by the amazing **Rapis-Razuri**! Thank you so much!

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**Dragonsong  
**_**Chapter II – Panacea**_**  
**

Lilina walked through the dirt paths, one hand holding her robes so she didn't step on them. Snow covered the Ilian grounds in a dusty layer as cool winds kept the land in a constant chill all year 'round. It wasn't so bad, as long as she kept a cloak on over her sage's robes. It was a far cry from the Ostian summers she was used to, but it was bearable.

Sighing, she wondered how long her life would go on like this. For three years, ever since Sir Lance had brought her to Ilia after the battle was lost, she had stayed there and built up a sort of refugee camp for survivors who knew nothing of battle, or those who didn't want to fight. Be they human or dragon, they were welcome in the settlement of Panacea.

She had become their matron, their guardian, and warded away those who would think to tempt the peace of their lives. She was the leader of this small camp, and the people there had come to respect her decisions. They knew nothing of her heritage as the next marchioness of Ostia, nor did it matter. There was no Lycian League left for her to lead, just pockets of resistance rising up against the dragons.

Three years had passed, and she knew nothing of her companions from the war. Sir Lance had returned to Roy's side after seeing her to safety, and no one had found their way to Ilia since. She had no idea if any of them were all right.

Wendy, Barth, Bors… Her three personal retainers, were nowhere to be found. They had remained in the Dragon Temple to fight to the end, leaving Lilina to wonder if it truly was their end. For three years, she was left to wonder if they were all right.

Three years now, and still not a word of Roy.

He had only been sixteen when he led an army comprised of two nations and three more supplying additional troops into a war against the most militant country of the land. A mere child in the eyes of many, but no one could deny the prodigal mind he possessed. He was always intelligent and quick to learn new things. History, arts, strategy, military science, swordplay… He was a master of everything.

Except the feelings of those around him.

Over the ten years that she'd known him, Lilina had always watched silently as he missed the praise given for his talents or the flirtations offered by the daughters of noblemen. He was a genius at books and strategy, but remained ever ignorant to human emotions.

Part of her was grateful that he was ignorant to the girls around him, but another part was frustrated that he was blind to her feelings, too. Though she had considered telling him her feelings, she had never been able to say it aloud. And now, she realized bitterly, she may have been silent for too long.

Why? Why had things turned out this way? She was eighteen now. If the Demon Dragon had been slain those three years ago, then she would have been enthroned as marquess. She would be leading the Lycian League into a world of reform and recovery after the war with her mother's council. For all she knew, her mother may not have even survived.

Biting back tears, she shook her head as a voice called from several paces away, "Matron! At the gate... We need your help!"

She lifted the robes a little higher from around her feet and began to move a little faster at the cry of the man. Davian was older than she was, but he was a peaceful farmer from the borders of Etruria and fled to Ilia with his family during the attack. Now was his turn to watch the gate for intruders alongside Olken.

As she approached the gate, she slowed to a stop, but kept her hand on her Elfire tome just in case there was trouble. As the Matron, it was up to her to defend the settlement. She approached and paused at the sight of two people waiting by the gate, a man and a woman. The woman kept one hand on the man's shoulder, as if trying to keep him calm.

Lilina walked closer, saying, "Welcome to Panacea. Have you come seeking shelter?"

The woman nodded and took a step forward, saying, "We have. My name is Eafya. This is Yilt."

Lilina cocked her head in curiosity. "Those are dragon names. Are you kin of the wyrmfolk?"

Eafya gave a slight nod. "We are. We have no desire to follow the Demon Dragon and just wish to live in peace."

The young matron held her hand out and said, "Then you have come to the right place. We will welcome you, but I must ask that you surrender your dragonstones until we know we can trust you. Please understand. It is for the safety of all in this settlement. Humans are asked to surrender weapons as well."

Yilt looked unsettled by the proposition—no doubt he was the reason Davian had run for help—but Eafya held up her hand to stop him. "It's all right, Yilt. We want to live in peace, right? We should have no need to fight any longer."

Lilina nodded and accepted the woman's dragonstone when she offered it. "Rest assured. If a course of aggressive action arises, your dragonstones will be returned to you so that you will not be left defenseless. In the meantime, welcome to Panacea."

…

For years now, Lilina had lived her day to day life in Panacea, passing time as the matron and protector of the village. She kept the peace and helped the dragons and humans get along with each other. Perhaps this was what it was like back in the days before the Scouring. Humans and dragons got along over a thousand years ago and lived in harmony. What changed? What made the two species fight with such prejudice?

Lilina couldn't help but wonder as she walked through the snow-covered paths of her new home, watching as Hale and Selfian played in the camp. Hale was a human, about eight years old, and Selfian was a dragon, almost a hundred, but looked to be about seven. They got along so well, so what stopped others from getting along? The two kids were the best of friends.

What was so attractive about complete power that made the dragons want to rule? Why had the humans fought against them and forced them from their home so long ago? She wouldn't be so narrow-sighted as to say that the humans had no fault in the current situation, but she wouldn't say the dragons were innocent, either.

Heaving a sigh, she cocked her head as she watched the two children chase each other around the street. The human boy had red hair and the dragon girl had light blue-colored hair. She couldn't help but think of herself and Roy as children, back in the days when they would play in the courtyards of Castle Ostia. Such peacefully innocent times; those days when her biggest concern was keeping her dress from getting ruined so her father wouldn't scold her.

Biting back tears, she wished silently that she could see her father one more time. She never really followed the church of Elimine, but she found herself praying to no one in particular that her mother was safe, along with Roy and Lord Eliwood. Why had this war broken out in the first place? Was it King Zephiel's madness? Or were the dragons controlling him from the start?

"Matron?"

She looked up as a small hand folded around hers to find Selfian looking up at her with wide eyes. "It's all right, Matron. Don't cry."

She offered a smile to the girl who looked to be a third of her age, but was actually five times older. She still didn't quite understand dragons that well. Just because she'd lived for a hundred years, did that make her as mature as an elderly human? Or did dragons mature more slowly? She managed a smile and bent down to the girl's height, reaching up to brush away her own tears while saying, "I'm all right, Selfie. I was just watching you two play and couldn't help but think about my best friend."

The girl cocked her head as she thought about it. "Are they okay?"

She reached out, brushing her hand through Selfian's hair—so close to Lady Ninian's hair, now that she thought about it—and giving her head a slow shake. "I don't know. But Roy is strong. He'll keep fighting to take care of the people he loves."

"People like you, Matron?"

She blinked. She supposed the friendship she shared with Roy was built on love. She loved him as her best friend, but also as something more. She loved him as only a woman could love a man. She wasn't sure when those feelings appeared, but they'd been there for as long as she could remember. Since before the war even started, but she had never had the nerve to tell him.

Flashing a smile, she said, "Yes. Like me. Like his father, his friends, his countrymen, everyone. Even you and Hale. Roy is the kind of person who loves everyone."

The girl nodded, her red eyes crinkling as she flashed a smile. "Don't worry, Matron. Roy will come here soon!"

Hale ran up next to her and, completely oblivious to her tearful moment, took her hand and pulled her to her feet. "Come on, Matron! Come play with us!"

There were a few times when her new life didn't seem so horrid. At least she was still able to bring smiles to the faces of children and give them the opportunity to grow up in peace.

…

The scent of perfume wafted through the air as she lit the candles, watching the tendrils of smoke drift upwards. Lilina sat on the floor of her tent beside a low table, lighting the flames in memory of those who'd died. She was feeling especially sad after reminiscing about her father and decided to pay her respects once again.

Her candles were beginning to run low after all the years they'd seen, but she figured she could find new ways to mourn when they bled dry. Clasping her hands together over her heart, she prayed once again to no one in particular that her father had found peace in the afterlife. He had fought to the end, done everything he could in the name of the Lycian League. It would only be cruel if the gods didn't grant him mercy.

"Matron?" a feminine voice asked from the other side of her tent flap.

It sounded like Eafya. She looked up and called, "Enter!"

The dragon woman pulled the flap back and offered a light smile. She'd been welcomed into Panacea for nearly two weeks now and had settled in rather well. She happily did her part to assist with the colony and seemed genuinely happy to have found a peaceful place to settle with Yilt, her son. "There is some trouble at the gate, Matron. The guardsmen asked me to come and ask for your assistance with the disturbance. It seems a young man refuses to surrender his weapon."

It wasn't an uncommon occurrence. It was only natural that one would cling to their source of protection in war-torn times like these. She nodded and blew out the candles on her table before shifting to stand, raising her hood against the cold of evening. "I see. I'm coming."

She followed the flame-haired woman out the door and down the streets, holding her trusted Elfire tome under her cloak in case the need for it arose. One could never be too certain how a newcomer would react. She had seen it before. When someone was given the choice of surrendering their weapon or being turned away from shelter, they have been prone to react in anger and draw said weapon.

"Please, all I ask is a place to stay for the night. I'll be on my way by morning."

The sound of this young man's voice filled her ears as she approached the final corner. The guard of the evening replied, "I'm sorry. We can't allow anyone entrance unless they surrender their weapons. It's for our safety as much as yours."

"I understand. I just want a shelter for the night. I promise I won't cause any trouble for you."

Lilina stepped around the final shelter and found herself looking at a young man with red hair, a blue and black tunic, black trousers, and white armor on his shins and forearms. On his upper left arm, a shield-like plate protected his shoulder. A blue and red cape stayed wrapped around his right arm, then attached to the shield to stay on his back loosely.

Underneath his cape, a very familiar sword stayed sheathed on his back. Blue eyes looked up from under a black bandana to meet hers as she approached, causing her to freeze. She knew those eyes.

Slowly, she lowered her hood as she whispered in disbelief, "…Roy?"

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Yay, Roy! So ends this chapter, but there's plenty more to come! Also, in case you haven't figured it out, Roy looks like his Awakening design in this fic. Because he's frigging gorgeous in that artwork. Er, I mean, he's three years older than he was in FE6, so I figure he should… you know… Eh, face it. He's smoking hot in that art. Ironic, since he's part ice dragon (at least in this fic and my general headcanon).

I digress…

Thanks for reading and I hope to see you next time!

Please review!

-Valk


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